A walk through Stolberg: Old Town, Stolberg Castle and Copper Courts

Small winding streets with houses made of local limestone and hewn bluestone on doors, windows and wall edges look out at you on a walk in the old town of Stolberg. As you stroll, you take a leisurely look at the traditional house facades and notice that, despite the long history of development of the old town and the influence of industrial times, a homogeneous appearance has emerged. You walk through Burgstrasse, Schartstrasse, Klatterstrasse and Enkereistrasse, which were the main streets until the end of the 19th century. When you reach Klatterstraße, you are standing in front of the oldest surviving half-timbered house from 1529. Next to it is the 18th century house at number 12, which used to be a brewery. In its cellars there was a pond (moat) from the weir that cooled the beer. Your walk finally ends at the castle rock and shows you Stolberg's landmark, the defiant medieval castle from the 12th century. It towers over the old town of Stolberg on a limestone rock and looks back on 500 years of construction history. You can visit the castle on a 1.5-hour guided tour to get a better idea of the building and its history. Last but not least, take a look at the copper farms in the valley axis near the Vichtbach stream. The early modern courtyards are another characteristic feature of the city. However, you will not see uniform buildings, but rather very individual courtyards. In the pre-industrial residential and commercial complexes you will find copper courtyards that resemble palaces or are reminiscent of simple craftsmen's workshops. For a visit to the old town, the castle and the copper courtyards, you should bring enough time with you so that you can visit everything in a relaxed manner.